The Doctor's Traveler
by Joshua Mirror Plotkin
Summary: A story featuring Ozwin the Dalek, The Doctor, Rory, Amy, and the Doctor's son, Traveler. Let me know what you think. If I get some positive feedback, I might write some more stories. I have a lot of ideas for stories with Ozwin and Traveler. Ozwin is one of the best characters they have come up with in years. Traveler is my own creation, all other characters are trademakrs of BBC.
1. Chapter 1

The Doctor's Traveler

Skaro, once the capital of the Dalek Empire, now a pile of rubble. Amidst this rubble stands a giant statue of a Dalek and within this statue stands a young man in a trench coat. Behind him stands a Dalek, just sitting there, waiting for him to speak. The young man walks up to the window and just stares for a few minutes.

"Look at it, Ozwin. The home world of the Daleks. Once the capital of a mighty empire. Now…."

"What happened to it?" inquired Ozwin.

"My father happened. There was a war. A war between the two oldest and greatest civilizations that the universe has ever seen: The Time Lords and the Daleks. You are now looking at the aftermath of that war. This is all that remains of Skaro. And Gallifrey….. it's just gone. Lost to time. I've never seen the home of my ancestors. Never walked through the red grass, never gazed upon the twin suns".

"Well, let's go then".

"Ozwin, the planet…..is…gone!"

"I'm a genius, remember. This should be easy. Just plug me into the TARDIS and…."

"NO!" Traveler very rarely raises his voice. Ozwin actually retreats a few paces. "I'm sorry, it's just….my father was the exception, not the rule. In the Time War, both sides were completely insane. They wanted to destroy everything that was not Dalek or Time Lord. Not just in the present, but in the past and the future. In fact, they wanted to destroy time itself. The entire universe….every race on every planet at every moment in time and space….would have ceased to exist. And they scary thing is, they were both brilliant enough to do it. So my father did the only thing he could do, he tried to ensure that no one survived the war".

"What?"

"He tried to end the war by ending both sides. The Time Lords he took care of, but the Daleks….well…."  
"He exterminated his own race?"

"If he hadn't, your race would never have existed. When I say your race I mean humans, not Daleks. Though the Daleks would never have existed either. The entire universe would never have existed. Just Gallifrey or Skaro, depending on who won. So in order to save every planet in the universe, my father destroyed his own. Skaro too, but then the Daleks did an emergency time jump and the war continues to this day".

"Wow, no wonder the Daleks were afraid of him. Good thing I erased their memories. I am a total genius". Traveler walks over to Ozwin and kisses the top of her dome. Suddenly, the sound of the TARDIS engines fills the room.

"No. NO!" Traveler runs towards the TARDIS with Ozwin close behind him. They arrive in time to watch the TARDIS disappear. "I don't suppose you could exterminate her, just once. You know she would get over it".

"Trav! I'm a genius, not a monster". Traveler sighed as he took a Vortex Manipulator out of his pocket.

"Let's sink up our devices. Lock onto the TARDIS".

"Done. Time to get your legacy back. How long are you two going to keep doing this to each other?"

"Probably until I give you up". Ozwin fires her laser just past Traveler's right ear. "I'M NOT GOING TO DO IT".

"I know. I just wanted to make sure. Besides, what would you do without me, lover boy?"

"You truly are magnificent, Ozwin".

"I know. Let's go get the TARDIS".

In the TARDIS, Amy, Rory, and the Doctor are debating where to go next. Suddenly, a man and a Dalek appear next to the control panel. The man is a bit uneasy, swaying left and right. He almost looks as if he might vomit at any moment.

"Whoa! What a rush!" announces Traveler. "Nothing like time travel without a capsule".

"I wouldn't know. I'm welded into mine" replied Ozwin.

"Oh, hello", exclaims Traveler as he turns towards Amy and Rory. "I'm Traveler, and I'm looking for my sister. Could you kindly direct me to her so I can kill her?" Ozwin rotates her dome to look at Amy and Rory.

"Trav!"

"I'm not really going to kill her, Ozwin".

"OZWIN?!" shouts a very confused Rory. "Ozwin from the Alaska? That Ozwin".

"Oh, you know my Ozwin?"

"Tav!" Ozwin is beginning to raise her voice a little.

"He's not an old boyfriend of yours, is he?"

"TRAV! Look at him. Just, look at him".

"Fine, I'm looking at him. Funny, he looks like my grandfather." The realization hit Traveler like a TARDIS landing on him. "Granddad Rory? Grandmum Amy?" The Doctor walks over to Traveler, looking quite puzzled.

"I'm sorry, did you just say granddad and grandmum?" An astonished Traveler turns to face the greatest man the universe has ever known.

"Dad? DAD!" Traveler hugs his father and kisses him on both cheeks. Inside her mind, Ozwin smiles as she watches this touching family reunion unfold through her eyepiece. "It's so good to see you. But…..if you're here, that means we've time jumped to the wrong TARDIS. Well, even a genius is wrong once in a while. Come on, Ozwin. Let's go get my TARDIS back".

"What? We can't leave now" replies the astonished Ozwin. "Your whole family is here. Your grandparents, your father, I bet your mother is around here somewhere".

"Don't talk about my mother".

"Trav…."

"DON'T TALK ABOUT MY MOTHER!" Almost as he says it, Traveler realizes what an ass he sounds like. "I'm sorry, it's just…..she is a bit of a tricky subject for me".

"Haven't you been defending her everywhere we go?"

"Yeah, I'm her son. I'm supposed to defend her. But all of the evidence says that she murdered my father, and that is something that I can never forgive. I can't forgive her and I won't forgive her…..and I shouldn't have mentioned it when my father is in room. My bad, sorry".

"I already know" replies the Doctor. "Still, you shouldn't talk about the future. Especially ours".

"You know? How could you know?" Traveler has never been more confused in his life than he is at this moment.

"I read my file" replies the Doctor as he punches a few buttons on the TARDIS control panel. The Justice Department files on the Doctor appear on one of the screens.

"You knew. You knew you were going to die and you went anyway".

"It's a fixed moment in time. You can't change a fixed moment in time. If you try to change, everything goes…."

"Spacey-Wacey" adds Traveler. Ozwin starts to laugh.

"I love the way you talk. Humany-wumany, spacey-wacey, explody-wody, wibbly-wobbly-…." Before she can finish her sentence, Traveler finishes it for her.

"Timey-wimey. They're all phrases I learned from dad. I've picked up a lot of his speech patterns over the years".

"So, you're dad used to talk like that, did he? I don't remember him using those phrases when I met him. God, this is so weird. He we are, talking about your dad in the past tense, when he is standing right over there". Ozwin points in the direction the Doctor is standing, when she realizes she no longer has arms. "I'm doing it again, aren't I? I'm pointing with a hand that no longer exists. Hold on, I'm going to rotate my dome". Ozwin rotates her dome so that her eyepiece is pointing at the Doctor. "There we go. Hello Doctor".

"Hello Ozwin. So, travelling with a Dalek, my boy?"

"Don't call her a Dalek. She's not a Dalek. She's, she's something else. Something unique. Something…..absolutely brilliant. She's even smarter than you, dad".

"Well, I wouldn't quite say that" replies the Doctor. "She is brilliant, but, smarter than me".

"For the longest time, I thought there was nothing you couldn't do. If the Doctor couldn't do it, then it couldn't be done. But then I met Ozwin, and she could do things even you can't do. She's an absolute genius".

"That she is. Fine, she's smarter than I am. Happy?"

"Yes, Doctor" replies Ozwin. "I'm very happy to hear that".

"Great, now everyone's happy" adds Traveler. "Now, let's time jump to our TARDIS so I can steal it back from my sister".

"Your sister?" inquires the Doctor. "Your sister, her name wouldn't happen to be Jenny, would it?"

"Yes, it would. She regenerated after you left. It takes longer for her than with other Time Lords. Oh, you didn't know she was alive. So this is how you found out. Ah, the life of a Time Lord. Everything is wibbly-wobbly-timey-wimey". Ozwin squeals with delight.

"I love it when he says that. Does anyone else love it when he says that?"

"I don't understand" exclaims the Doctor. "Why would Jenny steal the TARDIS from you?"

"Because you didn't leave a will" replies Traveler. "It's a bit of a grey area as to who owns the TARDIS".

"But he can leave a will now, can't he?" inquires Ozwin.

"No he can't Ozwin. If he does, that would mean that I had altered my own timeline. If I alter my own timeline, the universe would implode".

"That sounds like a bad thing".

"It is. Just like if my father were to go to Utah and not die. Time and space would collapse on itself. It would be the end of the universe. See, that's why he's the Doctor and I'm not. I could never go to my death knowing I'm going to die. That's what makes him the Doctor. He's the one that always does what is necessary to save the entirety of creation".

"Yep, lucky me" replies the Doctor.

"You are undoubtedly the greatest man that ever lived. I am proud to be your son".

"Wow. Thank you. So, why are you and Jenny fighting over possession of the TARDIS? Can't you two just share it?"

"She thinks I'm a disgrace to the family. She says that no son of the Doctor would ever date a Dalek".

"Date a Dalek? You two are dating? Well, that's…um…..how do you two….you know".

"Psychically" replies Ozwin. "And it's good. Trav is a wonderful lover".

"OZWIN! You do not have to talk about our psychic sex in front of my father and grandparents".

"Yeah" adds Amy, joining the conversation. "I could have done without the psychic sex talk".

"Sorry. But he is really good. And I'm like: oh Trav. Oh God yes. Oh Trav don't stop". Ozwin has her eyes closed and does not see Traveler walking over to her and placing his hand on her dome. "Oh, Trav! YES! YES!" Traveler enters Ozwin's mind, sneaks up behind her, and begins to tickle her sides. "GAHAHAAHA! No! Don't tickle! Don't tickle!" Ozwin breaks free and runs away from Traveler.

"Stop acting like we're having sex. Look, you're freaking out my grandfather". Traveler points to the view from Ozwin's eyepiece, which is now showing the uncomfortable face of Rory Pond.

"I'm sorry. But when we are together in my mind, I'm like: OH! OH! OH YES!" Traveler starts to chase Ozwin around her mind while wiggling his fingers. "No, don't tickle! I'm sorry. It was a joke! A joke! We aren't doing anything in here. Honest. Cross my heart, if I still have one".

The Doctor walks over to Traveler and places his arm on his shoulder. The unexpected physical impact causes Traveler to break his psychic connection with Ozwin and return to his own mind. "Whoa! Don't do that. It's a very jarring experience, jumping from mind to mind".

"Sorry, son. But, we've arrived at our destination".

"Arrived? Arrived where? And when?"

"At wherever your sister has taken the TARDIS. Time to work this out. This way, you two stop fighting and the universe does not have to implode".

"That's why you're the Doctor and I'm just a Traveler. You always know what to do to fix the situation".

"GOD!" Cries OZwin. "I wish I had hands so I could smack you. It drives me crazy every time I hear you put yourself down. And not a good kind of crazy, like when you enter my mind. I know you can never be the Doctor, but whoever said you had to be. You don't have to be the Doctor, Trav. No one could be the Doctor. He was one of a kind. Just be you. Be the best Traveler that you can be".

"God, I love you Ozwin".

"I know. I love me too!" Ozwin begins to laugh as Rory and Amy stare at each other.

"I hate to admit it" announces Amy, "but she does seem to be good for him".

"I know. I'm actually kind of glad our grandson will be with her. I just realized we are grandparents. God, I feel so old".

"Don't worry about it, granddad. From the expressions on dad's face, I'm willing to bet that I haven't been born yet. Remember, Time Lords never do things in the correct order".

"I hate to interrupt this family discussion" exclaims the Doctor as he opens the door, "but I've got a family crisis of my own to deal with. Trav?"

"Traveler. Only Ozwin calls me Trav".

"Of course, sorry. Time to end this thing with your sister".

"GOOD!" cries Traveler as he storms past his father. Jenny is standing in front of the TARDIS. "You left me on Skaro!"

"You ran to dad!" replies Jenny. "Traveler, you're two hundred years old, when are you going to start fighting your own battles?"

"Why you little" before Traveler can finish his sentence, he is pushed to the ground by his father.

"You're alive". The Doctor hugs Jenny. "You're alive. And you look exactly as you did the last time I saw you. How do you look the same? I thought you regenerated".

"I did. So did you, apparently. I like the new look".

"Excuse me!" exclaims Ozwin. "No one gets to shove my boyfriend into the dirt! No one except me, of course".

"Oh" replies Jenny. "I see you brought IT along".

"Don't call her IT!" shouts Traveler. "At least she never left me stranded on Skaro. Or the Library. Or…."

"You were never stranded" replies Jenny. "Your Dalek date could always time jump you out of there. Unlike me, who had to steal a Vortex Manipulator from the museum you left me in".

"The museum I…..SON OF A BITCH! You're the one that speared me in the Library!"

"What!" exclaims Ozwin.

"You remember. It was the time I took you to see my father's sonic screwdriver on display in the Library".

"And I bypassed the security systems in order to hold the screwdriver in my suction cup. That was such a good day. The looks on the faces of those security guards. They come charging in to stop whoever it is that's stealing the Doctor's sonic, and they see this Dalek standing there holding the screwdriver. HA HA! Then I started chasing them saying EXTERMINATE and then you got hit in the back with a spear".

"A spear that we saw on display in the same museum we left Jenny in after she stole the TARDIS from me the first time".

"Right. The spear pierced your left heart, and while you were regenerating she stole back the TARDIS". Ozwin rotates her dome so that her eye piece is pointed at Jenny. "You killed my boyfriend?!"

"He got better, didn't he?"

"You're my sister, and you BLOODY KILLED ME!"

Ozwin begins to roll towards Jenny. "She can regenerate, right?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?" Ozwin shoots Jenny. "What the….YOU SHOT MY SISTER!"

'She'll get better. She always does". As Ozwin rolls away from Jenny, the Doctor runs over to his stricken daughter and cradles her body.

"Jenny! Jenny just stay with me. Jenny! JENNY!" The Doctor begins to cry as he cradles his daughter's body. "You killed my daughter. You bloody…."

"FINISH THAT SENTENCE AND I WILL PERSONALLY GAURANTEE THAT I WILL NOT HAVE ANY MORE SIBLINGS!" Traveler pulls his sonic cane out of his trench coat and points it at the Doctor's crotch.

"How….How did that fit in there?" inquires Amy.

"It's a Time Lord trench coat. It's bigger on the inside. Everything Time Lord is bigger on the inside" explains Traveler. "Just put her down dad, she'll be up and about in a few minutes".

"And if she isn't?"

"She will be. This has happened before".

"Your girlfriend has shot your sister before?"

"No, but other people have. Sontarans, Sletheen, it's one of the perks of being the Doctor's children. A lot of people want to kill you".

"Good thing you have me" adds Ozwin. "Remember the time you got shot by Sontarans?"

"I remember. I regenerated as a woman for the first time and you started calling me Nina".

"I've always thought you were pretty as a woman than as a man. But whatever you regenerate as, you're still my Trav".

"And you're still my brilliant, beautiful Ozwin".

"Ooooo, I love it when you say that. Put your hand on my dome. We can have a psychic quickie while we wait for Jenny to regenerate. Saddle up, Jim-Boy".

"Well, I don't have anything else to do".

"You are NOT going to have a quickie until we are certain your sister will be alright. Is that understood, Jim-Boy?" The Doctor is audibly irritated by his son's behavior. However, he probably should not have used the word Jim-Boy. Traveler walks over to the Doctor and bops him on the head with his cane. "OW!'

"You don't get to call me Jim-Boy. Ozwin gets to call me Jim-Boy. You call me either Traveler or son. Is that understood?"

"OY! You don't get to hit your dad on the head. Is that understood, sony-boy" shouts Amy.

"Hey, barren-ess! You don't get to yell at my boyfriend. Wait, are you sure these are your grandparents?"

"Yeah. Amy and Rory Pond, the parents of Melody Pond. Why do you ask?"

"Because I just scanned Amy Pond and she is as barren as the desert".

"Ozwin, that doesn't make sense".

"It's complicated" replies Rory. "And she doesn't get to discuss it. This is a family matter and she's not part of the family".

"She is as far as I'm concerned, granddad".

"I'm sorry, what?" inquires the Doctor.

"Trav, did you just propose?"

"Ozwin, I can't imagine my life without you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. If I ever lost you, I would probably fly into a supernova".

"That is the most romantic and the most creepy thing any man has ever said to me".

"We can have a human wedding. It would be less complicated than a Time Lord wedding. You say I do, I say I do, when spend the rest of our lives together".

"What's so complicated about a Time Lord wedding?"

"Your parents have to give their consent".

"NO!" There is a sense of panic in Ozwin's voice. "NO! NO! NO! They cannot see me like this. You can't let them see me like this. You can't!"

"I never would. I swear, your parents will never see you like this. Cross both my hearts and hope to not regenerate". Ozwin rolls over to Traveler and rotates her eyepiece so that it is pointed directly at his face.

"I….I could never ask you to give up your heritage for me".

"And I could never ask you to do something you are not comfortable with. I love you Ozwin".

"God, if you two start with the luvy duvy talk I am going to vomit" announces Jenny as she sits up. "Your girlfriend just killed me".

"You killed me. Now we're even".

"I swear I am going to throw her into a supernova".

"Why don't I throw YOU into a supernova? Hey, that's the first time you called her a her instead of an it".

"See" chimed Ozwin, "everyone warms up to me eventually. I'm the girl you just can't hate".

"You're also the girl who can't make a suffle" replied Traveler with a grin.

"Hey, watch it, lover boy. I can still cut you off from psychic sex". Traveler walks over to Ozwin and kisses her eyepiece. "You've never done that before".

"I've been thinking: your parents will never see you, but that doesn't mean that you can't see them".

"Ok, now I'm thinking that I shot the wrong Doctor spawn".

"It's easy. My father and Jack Harkness did it with Rose Tyler all of the time. You stand somewhere they can't see you, like on top of a building or on a street corner with a perception filter, and just watch. You don't say anything or do anything to attract attention. You just stand there and you watch".

"You would do that for me?"

"Of course I would. There is nothing in all of time and space I would not do for you".

"OK" announces the Doctor. "Now that we've got that tidbit out of the way, it's time for you two to shake hands and make nice".

"That's it? That's your plan Jim-boy? Just tell them to play nice or you'll, what? Take away their favorite sonic device?"

"No, that can't be it" scoffs Traveler. "Jenny doesn't even have a sonic device".

"Oh, yes I do" replies Jenny as she takes the Sonic Screwdriver out of her pocket.

"Hey, that's the one I borrowed from the Library".

"Borrowed, Ozwin?"

"Alright, nicked from the Library. But I gave it back. Apparently, she didn't".

"It belongs to our family. Just like the TARDIS".

"I'm part of that family, and whether you like it or not, so is Ozwin".

"No Dalek will ever be part of our family".

"ENOUGH" shouts the Doctor. "There are too few Time Lords in existence for you two to be killing each other. Ozwin, she's not your typical Dalek. She's, well she's bloody brilliant. And I consent and knowingly give".

"Dad? Did you just do what I thought you did?"

" I repeat, I consent and knowingly give". Traveler runs over to his father and hugs him.

"Thank you, dad". Tears are forming in Travelers eyes. "Thank you".

" Jenny, I have more of reason to hate Daleks than you. Yet, I am willing to accept Ozwin into our family. She is a very special young woman. I would be proud to call her my daughter in law". Jenny looks at the Doctor, then at Ozwin, then back to the Doctor.

"Are you sure dad?"

"Positive".

"Well then, welcome to the family, sister".

"I….I…."Ozwin is starting to cry. Traveler places his hand on her dome and jumps back into her mind. He runs his hand through her long, flowing black hair.

"It's ok, Ozwin. It's ok. You're one of us now" Ozwin closes her eyes as she feels one hand running through her hair and the other upon her face.

"What now?"

"Just one thing to do, my beautiful, brilliant Ozwin. Allons-Y!"


	2. Chapter 2

Not what the Doctor ordered.

Amy Pond is playing hooky from school with her best friend, Melody. They had invited Rory to tag along, but Rory didn't want to get into any kind of trouble. How things would change a few years from now. At the moment, Amy and Melody are strolling through the streets of Cardiff, looking for adventure.

"I still don't understand why we came to Cardiff" inquires Amy.

"Why not" replies Melody. "Don't you read the papers? Whenever something exciting happens, it always happens in Cardiff. UFOs, giant monsters, mole people, coke head puffer fish".

"Mel, the tabloids don't count as the papers".

"This from the girl who swears that a raggedy man in a blue box crashed onto her front lawn".

"That was years ago. Maybe I dreamt the whole thing. Maybe I didn't".

"Maybe, you should stop complaining and start living. Come on, Amy. Let's see what Cardiff has in store for us".

A strangely familiar figure begins to appear. Years ago, people thought they were seeing ghosts. It turned out to be an invasion of robots. Now, those ghosts were returning. Both Amy and Melody realize what is happening, and have very different reactions to the events that are unfolding.

"Come on, Mel. Let's get out of here".

"Are you kidding? This is why I wanted to come to Cardiff. Come on, metal man, take me to your leader". The Cyberman fully materializes and just stares at the two young women for a few seconds.

"YOU ARE AMELIA POND!" Amy is stunned to hear that the robot knows her name.

"Yeah, who wants to know?"

"AMELIA POND WILL BE DELETED!"

"What?!"

"Never mind what, run Amy!" More Cybermen begin to appear, all chanting the same thing:  
"DELETE".

At Torchwood, Jack, Gwen, and Ianto are still busy cleaning up after the Dalek invasion. Jack and Ianto are trying to move the dead Dalek out of the main entrance, which is proving to be more difficult than they had anticipated.

"Bloody hell! These things are heavier than they look" announces Ianto to no one in particular.

"How heavy do they look?" inquires Jack. "Hey, Gwen! Give us a hand over here".

"Sure thing, Jack". Gwen's phone rings and she stops to answer it.

"Sure, anything to get out of Dalek duty" scoffs Jack.

"It's one of my old mates from the police. Hold on, I can't quite make out what you're saying. You're talking to fast".

"I said they're back!" the voice on the phone sounds as though he is having a full fledge panic attack. "Here, listen". The police officer switches to speaker phone and places his cell next to his desk phone.

"HELLO? IS ANYONE THERE? FOR GOD'S SAKE HELP US! THEY ARE COMING!" in the background, Gwen can hear dozens of mechanical voices saying "DELETE! DELETE!".

"We're scrambling everyone we can to cut those metal bastards off. Tell your team to get off their bloody arse and do their bloody job!".

"JACK! IANTO! Forget the dead Dalek. We've got bigger problems".

Traveler is strolling down the streets of Cardiff, with Oswin close behind him. Jenny is still in the TARDIS, refueling before their next adventure. Traveler takes a long breath and spins in a small circle.

"I love Cardiff. One of my favorite spots in the universe. Always plenty of extraterrestrial events going on here. Some good, some bad, some you can't quite be sure of". A column of police cars zoom by. "See what I mean? They were in such a hurry, they didn't even notice you".

"Um, Trav? I just hacked into their communications systems. It seems Cardiff is experiencing a slight case of Cybermen".

"Cybermen? That's never good, no matter how you look at it. Head out over the city and monitor things from above. I'll tell Jenny to get the TARDIS ready. We're going to need it".

"You're Dalek eye in the sky. Aye aye" replies Oswin.

"You've been speaking in rhymes more frequently these days".

"What else is to be said when you ask me to wed?"

"Yes? No? Exterminate? Something".

"Come on, lover boy. You can't be serious".

"Why not? I love you, you love me. What's the problem?"

"I'm a Dalek, you're a Time Lord, and good luck finding a priest to perform that ceremony. Come on, Jim Boy! We'll discuss this after we take care of the Cybermen".

"Oswin, you do know what Cybermen are, right?"

"I know what they used to be, if that's what you're asking".

"Is it going to be a problem?"

"Save lives first, ask questions later".

"Good luck".

"I don't need luck, I'm brilliant".

"That you are, Oswin. That you are".

Oswin flies over Cardiff in an attempt to assess the situation. Meanwhile, Jack and his team are attempting to coordinate their efforts with the police in order to contain the Cyber situation. Traveler informs Jenny of the Cyber threat, then grabs his Sonic Cane and runs out to help however he can. With a few modifications, Oswin is able to zoom in on points on interest using her eyepiece.

"Ok, we've got two women running for their lives. Oh my god. Trav, that's your grandmother. That's Amy Pond! And the woman beside her is….Melody Pond! This is your family that is in danger".

"WHAT?!" Traveler uses his Sonic Cane as a communications device, allowing him to speak with Jenny and Oswin. "I'm still a few blocks from you. Can you move in and help them?"

"Can I make your hearts race just by removing my sweater? Hang on there, Jim Boy. I'm off to stop the Cybermen". Oswin flies closer to the two women and their cyber pursuers. "STOP! Just stop right there".

"Oh God, we are so dead" announces Amy.

"THIS DOES NOT CONCERN THE DALEKS. DEPART IMMEDIATELY".

"Not going to happen. And in case you haven't noticed, I'm smarter than the average Dalek. Why don't you lot leave before you get hurt?"

"MELODY POND KILLED THE DOCTOR! AMELIA POND MUST BE DELETED!"

"What? That doesn't make sense".

"IF AMELIA POND IS DELETED, MELODY POND WILL NEVER EXIST. THE DOCTOR WILL NOT DIE".

"You're trying to save the Doctor? Since when do Cybermen try to save the Doctor? Aren't you like his arch nemesis or something?"

"THE DALEKS ARE THE DOCTOR'S ARCH ENEMY".

"Come on, Jim Boy. I'm sure he dislikes you lot as much as he dislikes Daleks. And you still haven't told me why you want to save him".

"THE DOCTOR DISABLED OUR EMOTIONAL INHIBITORS. THE DOCTOR RESTORED OUR SOULS. THE DOCTOR MUST BE SAVED. AMELIA POND MUST BE DELETED".

"Listen to yourselves. You were all human once, just like I was. You say the Doctor restored your souls. Do you really think he did that so you could kill an innocent girl? Do you really think this is what the Doctor wanted?"

"SACRIFICES ARE NECESSARY FOR THE GREATER GOOD. THAT IS THE WAY OF THE DOCTOR. DELETE! DELETE!" The Cybermen resume their advance towards Amy and Melody.

"STOP!"

"DELETE!"

"I'm warning you. I will stop you if I have to. Remember who you were. You can't do this".

"DELETE!"

"Last warning!"

"DELETE!"

Traveler is running towards Oswin's last known location when he is stopped by Jack. Torchwood is coordinating with the police to cordon off the area and try to stop the Cybermen. High powered rifles will not even dent a Cyberman, but that will not stop them from trying.

"Whoa there" announces Jack as he grabs Traveler's arm.

"I need to get through there".

"Trust me, you don't. Now, why don't you go back the way you came, and leave this to the professionals? Ok".

"Not ok. My existence is hanging in the balance". Before Traveler can explain the situation, the sounds of Dalek weapons fire echo through the allies. "Oswin! Sorry about this". Traveler strikes Jack in the crotch with his cane, then runs towards the sound of the weapons fire.

Oswin is floating high over head, shooting the Cybermen as they approach. One by one they fall, yet more keep coming. Inside her head, Oswin is sitting in her chair pushing the enter button on her keyboard to fire weapons. Her eyes are full of tears.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry" whispers Oswin as she continues to shoot the Cybermen. Traveler knows just how painful this must be for her. These people were captured by insane aliens and transformed into monsters, just as she was. She managed to maintain her sanity, they didn't. The fact that she could have ended up like any one of these mechanical monstrosities adds to the anguish she is now experiencing.

"Jenny, get the TARDIS over here now".

"It's not finished refueling" replies Jenny. "We won't get far".

"We don't have to get far. Just get us to Torchwood. We can regroup from there".

"I'll see what I can do".

Traveler can still hear Oswin whispering "I'm sorry" over and over again. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out one of his mother's pistols. As Oswin watches the Cybermen fall through her eyepiece, a second energy weapon strikes and destroys a Cyberman.

"What? Who?" Oswin rotates her dome and spots Traveler firing his laser pistol at the oncoming Cybermen. "You! Why…."

"Now we both have blood on our hands. Any idea what they want?"

"They want to kill your grandmother so that your mother can't kill your father".

"Oh. That makes sense, in a totally insane way. Keep firing. Maybe they'll leave".

"Or run out of Cybermen".

"God I hope not".

Jack has recovered from the blow in the ally and has caught up with Traveler. Gwen and Ianto follow Jack into a familiar but confusing situation. For Ianto, the image of a Dalek shooting Cybermen brings out memories that he would rather forget.

"Sorry about that. Bit of an emergency. Can't talk, busy shooting". Jack looks at Oswin, then at the Cybermen.

"I'm not sure who I should shoot at".

"The Cybermen" replies Traveler. "Definitely shoot the Cybermen".

"DELETE! DELETE!"

"I never thought I would say this, but I'm glad the Doctor is dead" announces Traveler. "He never got see this. He never saw his cause become twisted into this madness".

Jack stares at Traveler. Did he hear that right? The Doctor is dead? How? When? What could actually kill the Doctor? The sound of the TARDIS engines begins to fill the ally. Jack turns, expecting to see the Doctor. Instead he sees a young blond woman standing in the doorway.

"Come on! Let's get out of here!" shouts Jenny over the sound of the battle.

"EVERYONE GET IN THE TARDIS!" cries Traveler. "Amy, Melody, you lot. Come on then". As Traveler turns to enter the TARDIS he notices that Oswin is still floating over head shooting Cybermen. "OSWIN! OSWIN COME ON!"

"Someone needs to hold them off. Go, I'll be fine". Jenny grabs Traveler's arm and attempts to pull him inside the TARDIS.

"Come on! She'll be fine. Cyber weapons are no match for Dalek shields".

"She'll survive the battle, but her humanity won't" replies Traveler as we runs out to meet the Cybermen head on.

"What are you doing? You don't have to prove anything to me, Binky Boy. Now get that perfect ass of yours into the TARDIS".

"First, thank you for the compliment. Second, I'm not leaving you. We're a team Oswin. If you stay, then so do I".

"Oh, you bloody brave idiot. You can't leave a damsel in distress, can you?"

"Nope! I'm a lot like my father in that way. More like him than this lot. Come you metal monsters. Come get me". A smile crosses Oswin's face as she turns around to fly into the TARDIS.

"Well, if you're going to make such a big deal about it, I might as well leave".

"That's my girl".

"Good grief, Jim Boy. You'd almost think we were engaged".

"We might be, you still haven't answered"

"WILL YOU IDIOTS CLOSE THE DOOR SO WE CAN GET OUT OF HERE!" cries Jenny. Whenever Traveler and Oswin get all luvy duvy, Jenny just wants to vomit.

"All right then. Next stop, Torchwood" announces Traveler as he takes the controls. "We can regroup and figure out a solution to all of this".

"But, won't they find us there just like they found us here" inquires Melody.

"Mel has a point. We'd be jumping from one frying pan into another".

"Not necessarily. The TARDIS has a perception filter. That's why no one ever notices it. If we can extend it to encompass all of Torchwood, we would be invisible to the Cybermen". Oswin rolls by Traveler towards the control panel.

"Move aside, lover boy. Time for a true genius to get to work".

"Well, whatever you're up to, do it fast. We've arrived at our destination" announced Jenny.

"DONE!" chimed Oswin. "Thank you for flying Oswin Airlines. Feel free to kiss the pilot. Oh, I just got a text from Sexy. She says that I handle her better than you do, Trav. She looks forward to me handling her again. Looks like the TARDIS has a naughty side".

"I could have told you that" replied Traveler. "So Sexy is now texting. Sexting".

"Um, sweethearts….."

"I know what Sexting means and I like my definition better. Nice job with the sweethearts instead of sweetheart. Now I know you are in trouble".

"I don't know what you are talking about" replies Oswin as she rolls towards the door.

"Oswin!" cries Traveler as he tries to overtake her. "Oswin look at me! Look at me!" Oswin rotates her dome so that the eyepiece is pointing at Traveler. "There is nothing you could have done".

"They were humans once. Just like I was. They were captured by evil things, just like I was. How am I any different than they are?"

"Do you think any of them are having this conversation? Oswin, despite all the talk about time being rewritten, everything has a destiny. No matter how clever we are, or how resourceful, or how stubborn, there is absolutely nothing we can do to change that destiny. Those Cybermen were destined to die here today. Nothing can change that".

"I can't believe that. I won't believe that".

"Oswin, my brilliant, beautiful Oswin, did I ever tell you my father was on the Titanic? He also accompanied President Kennedy to Dallas and was on Bowie Station 1. He was even at Pompey. And believe me when I say this, he did everything possible to save the day. Despite all of his experience and his knowledge, despite his resourcefulness and his cunning, he couldn't stop the Titanic from sinking, or President Kennedy from getting shot, or Bowie Station 1 from being destroyed. And this is something else I have never told anyone, my dear Oswin: I actually am glad that my father is dead. After 1200 years of trying to save people and failing, he succeeded far more often than he failed but I know for a fact that the failures stuck with him till his final moments, death would come as a well deserved release".

"So in about a thousand years, will I have to grant you your eternal sleep?"

"The smartest person I have ever met once said that I should not try to be like the Doctor, but instead be the best Traveler that I can be".

"You always know just what to say, don't you Binky Boy".

"I've had 200 years to work on it".

"Excuse me" interrupts Jack. "I hate to break up your feel-good moment, but we still have a Cyber invasion to deal with".

"Right, sorry", replies Traveler Now, if I were the Doctor, I would come up with some wild and crazy plan to save the day. Except I'm not the Doctor, so I've got nothing".

"THE DOCTOR" cries Oswin. "Trav, you are a genius. These Cybermen all claim that they want to save the Doctor, right?"

"I'll have to take your word for it, Oswin. I missed that part".

"Now, from what I know of the Doctor, he would be horrified by this. He would never allow an innocent girl to be killed for the crimes of her daughter. Am I right?"

"He would not allow her daughter to be killed for her crimes either, if he could help it. My mother actually died saving my father's life. He begged her to let him take her place, but she knocked him out and handcuffed him to a piece of equipment".

"He never would" added Jenny.

"What was that?"

"When he thought I died, he picked up a pistol and pointed it at my killer. He had just watched his daughter die in his arms. He had every right to take his revenge. Instead, he just said that he never would and put down the weapon. He never did believe in capital punishment".

"PERFECT!" cried Oswin. "I can use the Torchwood equipment, combined with the TARDIS to transmit your memories of your father to all of the Cybermen. Hopefully they'll get the idea that this is the opposite of what he would want. No one else has to die".

"Well, then what are we waiting for. Allons-y!" Everyone rushes out of the TARDIS, with Oswin rolling towards the communications equipment. Jack grabs Traveler by the arm and pulls him aside.

"You are the Doctor's son?"

"Hi, I'm Traveler. It's too bad my father isn't around. I would love to see his reaction when he heard that his cane had touched your crotch. Yeah, I know who you are Captain". Traveler points the Sonic Cane at Jack's crotch. "If you go near my sister, I will see to it that you have the longest case of erectile dysfunction in recorded history".

"You can do that?" Traveler smiled and began to walk away. "Hey wait! The Doctor, how did it happen?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you".

"Try me"

"My mother shot him twice in the chest at point blank range". Jack just stood there blinking. "I know right. After everything he had been through, that is what finally killed him. Shot in the chest by his wife".

"So he finally got married. Got married, had a family…."

"Got murdered by his wife. Look, Jenny and I have to get the TARDIS ready. Have your team help Oswin set up your equipment. The sooner we finish, the sooner this will all be over".

"Yeah, about….what did you say its name was? Oswin?"

"HER name is Oswin. She's not a Dalek. She's, she's something unique. Intelligent, funny, fun. I've never met anyone like her. Do you know what he truly ironic thing is, for the first and probably only time the Daleks and I came to the same conclusion: they concluded that she was a thing of beauty. Instead of destroying her, they chained her up in a locked room. She was too beautiful to destroy. Does this surprise you, Captain? Knowing that even a Dalek can appreciate a thing of beauty".

"Well, yes. Yes it does".

"The universe is full of surprises. That's what keeps people like us going. Speaking of going, you had better help Oswin".

"Yeah. Good luck, son of the Doctor".

"Good luck, man that wanted to sleep with the Doctor but never did".

"Is that what he told you?" Jack is laughing as he asks this question.

"Was he lying?"

"I'll get back to you on that".

Jack, Ianto and Gwen are helping Oswin modify Torchwood's equipment to send out Jenny and Traveler's memories to the Cybermen. By pure coincidence, if such a thing exists, Gwen's wedding ring came into view of Oswin's eyepiece. She froze, just staring at the ring.

"You're married".

"Yes, I am".

"Do you have any children?"

"No, and I don't think that's any of your business".

"You should have children".

"I beg your pardon?"

"I was human once. Very young, in my early to mid twenties. I wanted to see the universe, so I joined the crew of the Alaska. First time out, I wound up shipwrecked on a Dalek planet. Now, well, just look at me. I keep thinking about all of the things I will never do. I will never have children, never go out dancing, never feel Trav's hands on my skin or my hands on his. I'm not even thirty and I'm doomed to spend the rest of my life trapped in a tin can with only a small eyepiece as my window to the universe. Promise me you will do all things I never can. Promise me you will live the life I cannot".

Gwen could not believe how moving this had been. This was not an evil creature like the Daleks she had encountered in the past. This was a young woman. A young woman that had been robbed of a promising life. She felt a connection with Oswin and more than that, she felt pity for the poor creature that stood before her.

"Hey! Don't give me that look. Besides, there is a silver lining. If I hadn't been captured by the Daleks, I would never have met the Doctor. Then I would never have met Trav". Oswin rotates her dome so that her eyepiece is pointing at the TARDIS, where Traveler and Jenny are busy trying to link the TARDIS, the Torchwood computers, and the Rift to send out a psychic signal. "When I'm with him I feel…human".

"We're almost done" announced Jenny as she stuck her head out of the TARDIS. "Oh, we haven't been introduced. I'm Jenny". Jenny begins to walk towards Jack, but Traveler grabs her and pulls her back into the TARDIS.

"NO! Not that one. He's practically a walking petri dish of every sexually transmitted disease in the universe".

"HEY!"

"Come on Jack, you'd sleep with anything".

"Really? Anything?" chimed Oswin in that playful tone of hers that Traveler loved.

"Oswin!"

"Just teasing, Binky boy!"

"Binky boy?"

"Shut up, Jack!"

"Ok, everything is ready to go" announces Oswin. "Now if the Time Twins would kindly place their hands on my dome".

"I'm older than he is!" replied Jenny indignantly.

"Yes, but I've lived longer than you".

"You can sibling squabble latter. Put your hands on my dome and think about your father".

"You ready sis?"

"Ready as I'll ever be".

"Let's do this". Within seconds, the memories of the Doctor's children were beamed directly into the heads of every Cyberman in Cardiff. Shortly after, they all exploded.

"What? That…that shouldn't have happened".

"Yes, it should have Oswin. When Cybermen realize what they have become, they always terminate themselves".

"When were you going to tell me that?"

"I was praying that I was wrong. I hate being right all the time".

"I killed them. I killed them all".

"No, you didn't. They chose to end their existence. They chose to die rather than to live as Cybermen. You did not kill them Oswin, you set them all free".

"Like your mother did with your father".

"Exactly. Sometimes, death itself is a blessing". Traveler gives Jack a knowing glance. They both know exactly what he means.

"This was definitely not what the Doctor ordered" comments Oswin.

"Oswin my dear, the worst tragedies are paved with the best intentions".

"We should get going" announces Jenny. "Will you be alright with them?" Jenny motions towards Amy and Melody.

"Don't worry about" replies Jack. "By tomorrow they won't remember a thing. We'll take care of every detail. Go, see the stars". Traveler salutes Jack.

"See you around, Captain. If anyone needs me, I'll be asleep in my room. Oswin, you mind driving?"

"I thought you would never ask".

"Good. See you in a few hours". As Traveler disappears into the TARDIS, Jenny leans towards Oswin and begins to whisper.

"I need to talk to you. It's about my father. He's alive".


End file.
